Lawrence Mayer

Contact Information

Education

Ph.D. Dartmouth

Research interests

We study the ocean from the perspective of biogeochemistry - that is, how organisms and materials (studied chemically) interact in earth surface environments. We use concepts and tools of chemistry, geology and biology in these studies. Comparison and coupling of oceanic to terrestrial processes receives special focus.

One major theme is the bioavailability of nutritional and toxic materials. The supply of nutrition to organisms and the exposure to toxins depends on the organisms' ability to remove them from an environmental matrix such as water or sediment. We therefore examine biological capabilities such as digestive physiology of sedimentary animals, which enables design of chemical measurements of that fraction of nutrients or toxins that can be liberated. Integrating nutritional and toxic material studies helps to better understand how organisms become toxified in their search for food. We have studied nutritional bioavailability of proteins and lipids to animals and bacteria. These efforts elucidate behavior at the individual organism scale and community structure and environmental processes, such as bioturbation, at larger scales.

A second theme is studying why some organic matter is NOT available to organisms, with a focus on how the interaction between organic matter and minerals enables preservation and/or burial of organic carbon. This interaction affects organic matter sequestration and hence long-term oxygen accumulation in modern, and perhaps in ancient, times. This work ranges from terrestrial soils to deep-sea sediments, with primary focus on ocean margin environments because of their importance in global carbon cycling. Various surface chemical techniques allow us to better understand how organic matter adsorbs to mineral particles.

A third theme involves the action of light on particulate organic matter. We study how intense sunlight can dissolve significant amounts of particulate organic matter, which may strongly affect oceanic carbon and nutrient cycling. Because light is a limiting factor for these reactions, marine optics becomes an important component of our studies.

In vitro digestive fluid extraction as a measure of the bioavailability of sediment-associated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: Sources of variation and implications for partitioning models
Weston, D. and L. Mayer, 1998. In vitro digestive fluid extraction as a measure of the bioavailability of sediment-associated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: Sources of variation and implications for partitioning models, Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 17:820-829.

Resuspension of sediment by bottom trawling in the Gulf of Maine and potential geochemical consequences
Pilskaln, C.H., J.H. Churchill and L.M. Mayer, 1998. Resuspension of sediment by bottom trawling in the Gulf of Maine and potential geochemical consequences, Journal of Conservation Biology 12:1223-1229.

The kinetics of bacteriolysis in the gut of the deposit feeder, Arenicola marina
Plante, C.J., L.M. Mayer, and G.M. King, 1996. The kinetics of bacteriolysis in the gut of the deposit feeder, Arenicola marina, Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 62:1051-1057.

Distribution and efficiency of bacteriolysis in the gut of Arenicola marina and three additional deposit feeders
Plante, C.J. and L.M. Mayer 1994. Distribution and efficiency of bacteriolysis in the gut of Arenicola marina and three additional deposit feeders. Marine Ecology - Progress Series, 109:183-194.

Variations in the availability of iron to phytoplankton in estuarine, coastal and shelf waters
Wells, M.L. and L.M. Mayer, 1991. Variations in the availability of iron to phytoplankton in estuarine, coastal and shelf waters. Marine Chemistry, 32:195-210.

Extracellular proteolytic activity in the sediments of an intertidal mudflat
Mayer, L.M. 1989. Extracellular proteolytic activity in the sediments of an intertidal mudflat. Limnology and Oceanography. 34:973-981.

Geochemistry of chromium in the oceans
Mayer, L.M. 1988. Geochemistry of chromium in the oceans. IN: Chromium in the Natural and Human Environments (Nriagu, J. and E. Nieboer, Eds.), Wiley, pp. 173-187.

The interaction of tidal currents on a disturbed intertidal bottom with a resulting change in particulate matter quantity, texture, and food quality
Anderson, F.E. and L.M. Mayer. 1986. The interaction of tidal currents on a disturbed intertidal bottom with a resulting change in particulate matter quantity, texture, and food quality. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 22:19-29.

The distribution of bromine in coastal sediments and its use as a source indicator for organic matter
Mayer, L.M., S.A. Macko, W.H. Mook and S.M. Murray. 1981. The distribution of bromine in coastal sediments and its use as a source indicator for organic matter. Organic Geochemistry 3:37-42.

Advective control of nutrient dynamics in the epilimnion of a large reservoir
Gloss, S., L.M. Mayer, and D.E. Kidd. 1980. Advective control of nutrient dynamics in the epilimnion of a large reservoir. Limnology and Oceanography 25:219-228.

An x-ray technique for distinguishing between the detrital and secondary quartz in the fine-grained fraction of sedimentary rocks
Eslinger, E., L.M. Mayer, T. Durst, J. Hower, and S. Savin. 1973. An x-ray technique for distinguishing between the detrital and secondary quartz in the fine-grained fraction of sedimentary rocks. Journal of Sedimentary Petrology 43:540-543.